Distress signal



July 28, 1942.

/ A. HARGREAVES DISTRESS SIGNAL Filed Jan. 5, 1942 GSWIM 1% PatentedJuly 28, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISTRESS SIGNAL AbrahamHargreaves, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Application January 5, 1942,Serial No. 425,604

6 Claims.

My invention relates to marine signalling devices and has for itsparamount object the production of an improved visual signal for alifeboat or like craft whereby a light is displayed to solicit aid forthose in distress. More particularly, my invention concern certainimprovements in apparatus for displaying a distress signal by rotating alight casing supported at a suitable elevation above a lifeboat by meansof a telescopic standard carried by a base in the nature of a receptacleadapted to contain the operating mechanism and a source of gas forproducing the light.

A distinctive feature of construction is that the telescopic standardand the light casing are devised to be removed from the receptacle andthe driving mechanism therein so that they may be stored in acompartment forming a part of the receptacle, in order to occupy aminimum of space and provide for compactness.

The invention has for a further object the provision of an apparatus bywhich a light beam may be flashed on and off while it is revolving aboutan axis so that signals may issue in code such as are transmitted by theMorse code. By the adoption of a code signal, the invention may beutilized for war-time purposes. When a vessel is sunk during a state ofwar and those on board take to the lifeboats it is eminently desirablethat a distress signal should be conveyed in code in order that theenemy may not be able to understand the message and thus be posted ofthe location of survivors which might lead to their capture ordestruction. It is also highly desirable that the code of the S O Ssignal be changed from time to time with a view to minimizing the hazardof the enemy becoming acquainted with it.

Hence my invention further contemplates a mechanism for signalling incode and which can be changed or revised for securing differentcombinations of component signals. By this arrangement, a given code canbe rendered available for an interval of days or other period of time asbetween those in authority and then changed for a further period and soon as oocasion or necessity dictates.

The invention produces a serviceable and practical apparatus which isinexpensive to manufacture.

A practical embodiment of the apparatus is depicted in the accompanyingdrawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view displaying thedevice as assembled ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 thereof showing the cabinet orreceptacle which constitutes the base.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the lamp and the mechanism for flashing thesignals.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a stationary plate which carries a circularseries of wiper fingers that actuate a shutter of the signal mechanism.

Fig. 5 i a detail showing in full one of the wiper fingers in loweredposition, the raised position being indicated in dash lines.

Like numerals of reference denote similar parts in each figure of thedrawing.

In carrying out the invention I provide a cabinet or receptaclegenerally denoted at I, which is divided by a wall 8 into a lowercompartment 9 and an upper compartment 10, both accessible by a. lid H,see Fig. 2. The cabinet serves as a base for the lamp as hereinaftermore fully explained, and is ordinarily stowed in a lifeboat as part ofthe accoutrement thereof. Should occasion require its use, it isattached to a suitable part of the hull of the lifeboat, for whichpurpose an approved attachment device may be employed, which attachmentdevice is not shown since it may be of standard-construction.

Wall 8 carriesa non-removable gear and bearing assembly which may by wayof example but not of limitation be composed of the bearing l3 attachedto said wall as at M and journalling the hub l5 of a gear l6 forrotation about a vertical axis. The lower end face of the bearingprovides a shoulder for preventing upward displacement of the gear,while an anti-friction thrust bearing l1 precludes downwarddisplacement. The gear is operable by motive power such as that which iscapable of being supplied by a suitable spring motor indicated at l8.The spring IQ of the motor is intendedto be wound by a key 20, ascustomary. .The drive is effected through the intermediary ofappropriate gearing 2| for reduc ing speed so that the gear [6 may onlyturn at a moderate rate.

The bore of the gear l6 accommodates the lower member 22 of a tubularstandard rising therefrom and supplied with an upper member 23 fortelescoping therein. A fastening element 24 serves to secure the lowermember to the gear so that it may rotate therewith as a unit and also bedetached therefrom. The upper member 23 is fitted with a catch 25 ofknown type by which it may be held in the extended condition shown inFig. 1. It will. be understood that the catch, which is pivoted at 26,may be depressed to enable the upper member to be telescoped in thelower member. Any known expedient may be resorted to for keying theupper member to turn with the lower member. For example, the uppermember may be fitted with a pin 21 slidable in a slot 28 extendinglengthwise of the lower member.

The standard carries a light casing 29 which is mounted by means of acasting 30 rigid with said casing and having a bore which is a runningfit on the head end of the upper member 23. The casting is seated on anannulus 3| rigid with said upper member and slotted to receive a lockingbar 32 carried pivotally by the casting, as at 33. When the locking baris swung down to engage the slot of the annulus, the light casing isthereby fastened to the standard and must turn with it. On the otherhand, when the locking bar is raised out of engagement with this slotthe light casing is free to turn independently of the standard.Normally, the locking bar is in its engaged position as depicted in Fig.1.

Within the light casing is a burner 33 having a stem 34 loosely mountedby meansof a collar 35 in the head of the upper member 23 so that itmayremain stationary while the light casingrevolves. Said stem is attachedto a flexible tube 36 extending freely through the standard andconnected to a tank 31 containing a supply of acetylene gas. The tank issecured in the compartment 9 and the delivery line 36 isvalve-controlled as at 33. By this construction the burner and thedelivery line do not turn as the standard is driven. The delivery line,however, by reason of its flexibility does not interfere with thetelescoping of the members 22 and 23 for storage purposes and can bereadily detached.

The light casing has asuitable reflector, as at 39, and a lens 48arranged for throwing a beam of light through an apertured front wall 4|at an upward angle. The front wall is supplied with a horizontallydisposed guideway 42- ior' a. shutter 43 slidable to and away from thelens and normally disposed clear of the same. The. shutter is actuatedbya mechanism comprising a link 44 pivoted to it at 45 and :likewiseconnected to a lever 46 .pivoted at 41 tothe light casing and having 2.depending 'end 41' disposed to engage and ride over a circular series ofnon-rotatable fingers 48 mounted on 'a plate '49. Plate 49 is shoulderedloosely on the casting 30 so that it may remain stationary in theturning of the light casing, and for the purpose of holding it a'gainstmovement any suitable expedient may be employed such as apair oftelescopic rodslJ-and 5|, extending upwardly from the cabinet with thelower one, 5|, detachablyv mounted 'on the wall 8 such as by a socket.

As detailed in Fig. 5, each of the .fingers 48 is pivotally supported,as at 52, on the .plate 49 by a post 53 so that it may be swung downfrom the vertical position illustrated in Fig. 3 to the horizontalposition depicted in Fig. 5 in a direction counter to that in which thelever 46-is carried around by rotation of the light casing. A stop face54 engages a shoulder on the post when the finger is swung to an erectposition so that the finger may not turn backwardly when contacted bythe lever-end 41'. A fiat spring 55 serves to retain the finger ineither its erector lowered position. As the lever rides over a finger, amovement is imparted to it sufficient ,to close the shutter over thelens and thus momentarily block the light. A spring 56 returns thelever.

Operation Assuming that the apparatus is-assembled,-as 75 shown in thedrawing, it will be evident that on setting the motor IS in operationthe gearing 2| will rotate the gear I6 and thus drive the standardtogether with the light casing which will show a light through the lenswhen the burner is lit. This light will be flashed on and ofi as theshutter is operated by the lever 45 successively engaging the raisedfingers 48. The number of movements imparted to the shutter in acomplete turn will of course depend on the number of fingers raised,since those that are not raised will clear the lever and not make wipingcontact with it. When one finger is in an inoperative position the timeinterval between the successive flashes caused by the adjacent twofingers is doubled. A suitable number of fingers maybe employed toprovide for a wide variation of signals in code form or otherwise. Thefingers are set by hand prior to operation of the light casing by themotor.

The motor will ordinarily be relied upon to drive the light casing, andtherefore the locking bar 32 will be in its "engaged position. Thedisengagement of this locking permits the light casing to be rotatedindependently of the motor-drive through the standard. The advantage ofthis is that it may be found expedient to provide the light casing "withsome sort of a windmill for emergency rotation. The tank will furnish asupply of gas suflici'ent for a numberof hours.

For storage purposes, the standard and the telescopic rods 50, 5| arecollapsed and detached from the cabinet, the member 22 of the standardbeing removed by loosening the fastening element 24 and pulling it outof the bore of gear 16. The standard and the telescopic rods 50, 5| andalso the light casing are then packed in the compartment I0.

While the invention has been disclosed in one practical form it will beunderstood that such modifications and changes may be resorted to ascome within the spirit and scope of the claimed structure.

What I claim is:

1. In adistress signal, a lamp rotatable about an axis and having anaperture for emitting a beam of light, a shutter for theaperture-movable between a non-screening and'a screening position, anactuator for the-shutter mounted on the lamp and having an elementprojecting parallel to the lamp axis, a circular series of fingers aboutthe lamp axis disposed in the path of said element of the actuator forcontact therewith to effect operation of said actuator, and a stationarymember supporting the-fingers.

2. In a distress signal, a lamp rotatable about an axis and having anaperture for emitting a beam of light, a shutter for the aperturemovable between a non-screening and a screening position, an actuatorfor the shutter mounted on the lamp and having an elementprojectingparallel -to the lamp axis, and a circularseries of displaceable fingersabout the lamp axis disposed in the path of said element of the actuatorfor operable engagement therewith in the rotation of the lamp to effectoperation of said actuator.

3. In a distress signal, a rotary light casing having a light sourcetherein and an aperture for emitting a beam of light, a guideway-at theaperture, a shutter slidable in the guidewayI-between a non-screeningand a screening position, a lever connected to theshutter and pivoted onthe casing, said lever having a depending end, and a series offingers'circularly arranged around the axis of the casing in the path'of travel of on the casing, a stationary plate encircling the axis ofrotation of the casing, a series of fingers circularly arranged aroundthe axis of the casing in the path of travel of the depending end of thelever, and means pivotally mounting the fingers on the plate aforesaidand resiliently retaining them in an obstructing position with respectto said depending end of the lever.

5. In a distress signal, a base, a rotatable standard thereon, a lightcasing carried by the standard, said light casing having a lightemitting aperture in its wall portion, a shutter slidable horizontallyon the apertured wall portion for blocking the light, a radiallyextending plate journalled independent of the standard, a series ofactuators circularly arranged on the plate about the axis of thestandard, means on the light casing for engaging the actuators tooperate the shutter, and a member extending from the base alongside ofthe standard to retain the plate against rotation.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and in which the standard andthe member for retaining the plate against rotation are of telescopicconstruction and detachable fromthe base.

ABRAHAM HARGREAVES.

